No Definite note of Warning--Preachers Afraid of Discipline--Divided
as to Restoration or Extinction--Plea of Liberty--Liberalism of
the Episcopal Church--Advance in Christian Unity--Dr. Edward
White--Conditional Immortality--Endless Torment--If True Ought to Be
Preached Morning, Noon and Night--Awful Penalty of Sin--Extinction--True
Religion is Reasonable--Enlarged Conceptions.
There can hardly be a doubt that the church in general is in a state of
transition on this question. The want of a definite note of warning, to
which I have referred elsewhere, is an indication of it. Some preachers
have not the conviction of eternal torment and do not speak of it.
Others know very well that many of their hearers would resent any such
declaration. But they do not preach Restoration. They are afraid, I
suppose, that they might expose themselves to the discipline of the
church. Some, I believe, would very quickly espouse the Restoration
theory, if they were sure that they would escape all pains and
penalities. Meantime they do not examine the doctrine, for I suspect
they fear they would be convinced that it is true. I believe that most
ministers of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches occupy one or
other of the positions I have indicated.
A few days ago I was speaking with a mature and scholarly man who
occupies a prominent position in the Methodist Church. In our
conversation we drifted into the subject of Restoration, and he freely
avowed his faith in it; but he said that if such a thing were known, he
would lose his position.
In the Presbyterian Church there is by no means a universal loyalty to
the traditional doctrine of eternal torment. There was a notable
indication of this some time ago. Somehow--I do not know how--the
question of eternal punishment came up among Presbyterians in the United
States. A great number of letters was addressed to "_The Interior_," of
Chicago. Some of these endorsed the doctrine of Extinction, and the
others of Restoration. So far as I can remember, none were in favor of
eternal punishment. At the close, the Editor summed up in favor of
extinction. But he was not indicted for heresy, nor any of his
correspondents, so far as I am aware.
The whole affair showed very clearly that there is a tacit and wide
repudiation of the doctrine of eternal torment. It also showed that the
church is divided on the theories of restoration and extinction; while I
presume that many would uphold the old doctrine of torment. I claim that
this division of opinion is allowable. There ought to be, and I think
that on the whole there is, Christian liberty on this topic. Some day
the church may see eye to eye on these matters.
Especially do I honor the Episcopal Church for always having taken this
more liberal ground. It is possible to hold the most diverse views on
this point, and yet be in good standing in that communion. I lately
spoke with an Episcopal clergyman who believes not only in the
Restoration of the entire human race, but who believes that Satan
himself will ultimately be restored. I know another Episcopal clergyman
who is a confirmed and advanced spiritualist; yet he believes in
Restoration; and he is a very able, devout, and godly man. Witness also
Archdeacon Farrar's book on "Eternal Hope;" yet that man held his
position in the church, and grew in public esteem till his dying day.